There are three variations of Warrior pose (Virabhadrasana in Sanskrit). In a prior blog, Warrior I was discussed. The warrior poses strengthen and tone several areas of the body. These asanas strengthen and tones the muscles of the thighs, calves, arms, shoulders, back and buttocks.
In a previous blog Warrior I was discussed. In this blog, I’ll describe Warrior II. To move into Warrior II, begin in Mountain Pose. On the exhalation breath, step the feet approximately four feet apart. As in Warrior I, the front foot should be turned out to a 90 degree angle and the back foot at a 45 degree angle.
Raise the arms out to the sides, so the arms are straight out and parallel to the ground with the palms facing down. The arms should be active and engaged, but check to make sure there is no tension in the shoulders.
Bend the right knee forward to the point where the knee is directly above the ankle and try to move the thigh parallel to the floor. Don’t push this on the first few times; it’s normal if the thigh isn’t parallel at first. Gradually, you will get there if you are patient, but you can injure yourself if you push it too hard. Keep both legs active and the weight evenly distributed between the two legs. Ground the back foot to stay balanced in the pose.
Look at your right leg, or whichever leg is bent. Concentrate on keeping the front knee from dropping inward or outward. When you gaze down, you should see your big toe, if the knee is properly placed. On each inhalation breath, lift the ribs away from the pelvis. Imagine creating space in the rib cage with each breath, as you lift your arms and torso.
The head is turned in the direction of the bent knee. You may find your torso is moving forward, but adjust again and keep your torso straight above the pelvis with the head above the shoulders. Relax the neck and gaze without straining.
Warrior II is held for several seconds to a minute or more, depending on the class. In some vinyasa flow classes, you will continue moving from Warrior I to Warrior II and into the other standing poses. In all classes, whether slow stretch or power yoga, you will perform Warrior II on one side of the body and then move to the other side and repeat. In most cases, the right side is first, but this is not a requirement.